Bronze Woman of Pern
by happypugfics
Summary: A Skimmons, Dragonriders of Pern AU. There's Skimmons. There's dragons. They're together. What more do you want?
1. Chapter 1

If you haven't read the series then this may get confusing. I apologize in advance, but here is a link to a place that gives a really good background description of Pern.  
** /wiki/Dragonriders_of_Pern  
**I hope dearly that this does not dissuade you from reading. It is one of the few books I enjoy to read and I couldn't wait to share it all with you in Skimmons version :]  
I have also attached a DRAGONDEX at the bottom to help you with any unfamiliar words which are used from the books. There will also be a link to an even larger encyclopedia of Pern to help you.  
I do not own Pern, it belongs to Anne McCaffrey. I do not own the characters, they belong to Marvel.

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The news was spreading fast over the land of Pern, even so far as the Southern Continent. Hold Lords who had once in the past been weary of this news, now rejoiced at the honorable Ride of Search. The bronze riders of the southern Ostagar Weyr were riding in Search to all Northern Continent Holds for a maiden between the ages of 18 and 25.

Ostagar's golden queen Tilith had laid a clutch of forty-two eggs and amongst them was the long sought for golden egg of a queen. Tilith had taken to _between_ after the final egg was laid to take her eternal rest, her rider, the WeyrWoman of Ostagar having perished a week past due to old age and sickness.

Now, all Pernese dragon riders were rejoicing for their new queen and her unknown weyrmate.

The massive bronze dragon rested gently down in the large courtyard of Ruatha Hold after his short, chilling flight _between_. A moment later two browns and three greens blinked into the air above him and came to rest beside him, as a slender figure slipped off the bronze.

As all bronze riders were men, this one seemed odd to be so small and slimly built. The leader and fur bound riding gear fit him as it did any other, and even after taking off the riding cap and goggles he looked like a man.

The five riders behind the bronze dismounted and walked across the courtyard to the entrance of the Hold where it's Lord and several of the crafters and people of his court also waited.

"Ah! Dragon riders, Pern be praised, we have your rooms waiting and my Hall is open to your searching scrutiny," the Lord proclaimed, holding his arms wide in welcome.

The small lad stopped with his five wingmates behind him.

"Thank you Lord Pax," the words from the small boy's figure where not what was expected, for it wasn't a masculine voice which came from him, but a feminine one.

"I am Skye, First Wingleader of Ostagar Weyr and we ride to Ruatha in Search. Our dragons have need of your mountains and valleys as a place to rest while during our stay," the dragon rider requested.

Lord Pax looked shocked for a moment, as if having expected some other person to be addressing him now.

"You are the woman rider of a bronze?!" he asked, more interested than trying to be rude.

"That matter is one which is not up for discussion Lord Pax. Please escort my Wing and I to our rooms and we shall begin our business here," the small woman said.

"My apologies bronze rider, right this way," Lord Pax motioned hastily for the group to follow him into the stone walled Hold.

The large bronze trumpeted his leave as his massive wings unfolded and he took to the sky, finding a large overhanging rock above the Hold where he could survey all the lands here. The other dragons did the same, scattering themselves along the mountains.

It was true that Skye was a female rider of a bronze dragon. There were women riders in the Weyrs but normally they rode blues and greens if they were brought to the Impression. Normally, however, the only woman rider in a Weyr was the WeyrWoman, who was the rider of the golden queen dragon.

Four turns back she had been observing the Impression of one of Tilith's last clutches. There had been no queen egg and as the dragon had been sickly as her rider had been, the clutch was small, consisting of a mere fifteen eggs. Three of those eggs had been bronze colored and as the young men made connections with the newly hatched dragonets, one bronze egg remained shelled.

None of the remaining boys moved to touch it, all too afraid that it would break at the last minute and they would be trampled by the clumsy newborn beast. After several minutes and the other new dragon riders gone, the boys were ushered away from the egg and the crowd dissipated as the Weyrleader and WeyrWoman considered what to do with the seemingly 'dud' egg.

Skye had been delivering a message to the two Weyr Leaders and upon crossing the hot sands, the dragon's egg had burst open and the clumsy thing, claws and all, had crashed into the young woman.

The two gazed at each other, despite the cuts the girl had suffered and the bond was made. It was an unusual circumstance but it had occurred all the same and on that day she had become Skye, rider of Bronze Osgilith.

It had been two days since her and her wings arrival here, and yet they had not found a maiden suitable for search. She had two riders searching the surrounding countryside and farms for potential candidates and three others searching the crafters village. Skye had left it to herself to search in the actual Hold.

It was around midday when she ventured out back to the stables for a break from looking around.

_Have you had no luck yet, dear one?_

Skye turned her head to look up towards the mountains where Osgilith sat perched happily in the sun.

_No I haven't. Have the others had any luck?_ she relayed through her mind to the bronze.

There was silence for a moment before the beast answered her, _There have been no eligible candidates at present. T'gar and F'laten request to return to the Hold._

Skye sighed to herself and leaned against a stone pillar that supported the stables, _I grant them leave. Relay to the wing that they may return to Ostagar. I will stay on a while longer though Ruatha seems fruitless this turn._

The beast did as was asked of him and moments later answered that everyone had returned.

Skye knew that many prominent WeyrWomen had come from the Blood at Ruatha Hold and from the High Reaches. She simply could not submit to the fact that there were none here now.

_Osgilith my love, do you not sense anyone capable?_ Skye asked as she walked into the stables to look at the running beasts.

They were fine and strong tall legged creatures with smooth skin but for their heads and she fancied them, but would never again stoop to ride one. She had a far greater beast.

It was in this stable now, that she spotted an unfamiliar face in the back.

The woman was of average height, standing just short of her, and alone. Her face framed gently by dark auburn hair, the majority of which was pulled back to get out of her eyes while doing her work. Skye noticed she had a lean figure, a good one for riding. All others here had been so thin...it had been a bad season of crop with Threads falling every three days.

Pale skin, this girl was certainly of Ruatha and even perhaps of the Blood.

"Excuse me miss, might I have a word?" Skye addressed this woman and stepped towards her.

The girl turned to see her addressor, "Yes rider? Did you have need of me?" she asked, nodding low in recognition. It was not every day that one came into contact with a dragon rider. They were protectors of the world and had once been highly revered, and now were again after many years of suffering.

The brunette examined the doe eyed candidate, standing only a few feet away.

"I am Skye rider of bronze Osgilith and I have come to Ruatha Hold in Search. I find you to be a worthy candidate and request that you accompany me to Ostagar Weyr," Skye demanded and held out her hand for the other woman. There was no denying a dragon riders request of search but some women tried regardless.

"You are Pern's bronze woman," the girl commented as she stepped forward away from the running beasts. Skye held her head high and did not comment. "I am to be taken to a Southern Weyr then? Am I to remain there?" the woman asked and stepped into the light. Skye thought she seemed timid, unsure. It would not do well to be timid upon the sands in the belly of the Weyr for a hatching.

_She has an air about her. She is suitable for the Weyr. This woman could be a great WeyrWoman,_ Osgilith relayed to his weyrmate. His assurance calmed any concerns Skye might have had about the girl.

Skye nodded to her dragon's assumptions and returned her attention to the woman, "Yes, I am to escort you to Ostagar Weyr on the Southern Continent and if you impress the queen egg then yes you are to remain as WeyrWoman. If you do not impress then you may return here or a rider may take you as his weyrmate," Skye answered and took another long look of the woman.

She was beautiful in her own way. The way she smiled, the way she held herself, both so small as if trying not to be noticed. She had succeeded for several days. Skye was lucky she had remained. It would be ill-suited for one of the Wing Leaders to return empty handed. Why had she not seen this maiden before? She must have hidden herself well. Perhaps one of the others thought her too slight, too timid. That could change easily with the correct training. If this girl did not impress and leave Weyr, then perhaps its bronze woman could make this girl her weyrmate.

"And do you have a weyrmate bronze rider Skye?" the girl asked, taking the riders hand to be lead away.

"The only weyrmate which I possess is my Osgilith," Skye responded an held the woman's hand gently, "and your name, my lady?"

"Jemma of Blood Pax, Raluatha Hold. I study beastology, which is why I am out here with the animals, despite royal blood," she smiled and let herself be lead into the Hold by the dragon woman.

"Well, Lady Jemma of Blood Pax," Skye smiled as she escorted the woman from the stables and back to the main entrance of the small castle, "We need to have a conversation with your Uncle."

**DRAGONDEX .nl/pe/peintro_**

Between: **Between places**—In order to be able to go between places a dragon and/or its rider has to know where to go. The rider has to visualize a reference or recognition point and transfers it to the mind of his or her dragon. There are certain consequences to an ill-considered jump. Badly visualized reference points often result in staying _between_. One should always plan to arrive in the air above the reference point. The more experienced riders do not have to be in the air while taking the jump but can also do so from a stationary position on the ground. Weyrlings are taught a certain number of reference or recognition points, beginning with the Star Stone-Eye Rock-Finger Rock configuration of its Weyr. More reference points are then learned, first by the instructor and after that by going there, getting the initial visualization by the instructor. After that weyrlings are constantly taken to and from the main reference points all across Pern.

Clutch: A group of eggs laid by a dragon. Frequent clutches are a sure sign that there will be a Pass.

Dragon Rider: A person who has Impressed a dragon partner. During the first few centuries on Pern Hold people were usually glad to have a child (or children) chosen on Search and becoming dragonriders, because of the advantages of having a dragonrider in the family: the combination of the prestige accrued to the Bloodline as well as the availability of transport. There was also a more narrow minded group that disapproved of and had misconceptions about, especially, the sexual habits of dragonriders, which admittedly, were different from the majority of people on Pern, in order to accommodate their dragon's habits.

Dragon(s): Come in 5 colors and 5 sizes. Blue and Green dragons are the smallest. These can be male or female. Brown dragons are next largest, followed by Bronze dragons who are the largest males. Gold dragons are females and the largest of all.

F'laten: Rider of brown Topiath. Member of Ostagar Weyr, wingmate to Skye.

High Reaches: A mountain range on the Northern Continent.

Hold: a place where the common people live. Originally they were cut into the mountains and hillsides. There are major and minor holds.

Impression: "the moment when a newly hatched dragon links minds with a suitable human partner; a bond of such complexity and depth that no other union can be compared with it; almost overwhelming in the initial moment of recognition, and certainly the most intense emotion a dragon rider will ever experience" If a newly hatched dragon does not find a compatible personality among the candidates (or spectators present) he will die

Jemma: Blood of Pax, Ruatha Hold, Of the Blood, Ruatha Hold Heir, Niece to Lord Pax

Lord Pax: Blood of Pax, Ruatha Hold, Of the Blood, Ruatha Hold Lord, Uncle to Jemma

Nazgelith: Brown dragon bonded with T'gar of Ostagar Weyr.

Osgilith: Smallest bronze dragon of Ostagar Weyr bonded with Skye.

Ostagar Weyr: Second Weyr of the Southern Continent. (Does not exist in canon.)

Pern: third of the star Rukbat's five planets. It has two natural satellites. Gravity on Pern is about 90% of what is normal for Earth. The atmosphere on Pern has slightly above the normal oxygen content of Earth.

Ride of Search: literally a search, for prospective dragonriders. It is obvious that in later Passes there was less and less need to Search for regular dragonriders. By the Ninth Pass dragonriders only Searched for queen candidates. To respond to a Search was a holder (basic) right. The claim that a union had been arranged for a person that was Searched was enough to refuse the Search. Of course this happened very seldom because generally people were honored to be Searched and his or her relatives welcomed the dragonrider connections

Ruatha Hold: Major Hold &amp; second oldest Hold.

Runnerbeast: Pernese equivalent of Terran Horses

Skye: A Wing Leader of Ostagar Weyr, rider of bronze Osgilith.

T'gar: Rider of brown Nazgelith and wingmate to Skye of Ostagar Weyr

Tilith: Golden Queen of Ostagar Weyr (deceased)

Topiath: Brown bonded with F'laten of Ostagar Weyr

Weyr: written with a capital W it means the complete Weyr, written without the capital it means the cavern, or other place, a dragon and his rider occupy. Weyrs are autonomous and may withhold services (basic courtesies like providing transport) with sufficient justification (fighting Thread is not seen as a service and may never be withheld)

Weyrmate: A person or dragon who resides in a weyr together.

WeyrWoman: Rider of a gold queen dragon and leader of a Weyr second only to the Weyr Leader.

Wing Leader: Leader of a Wing, which consists of 12 dragons

Wingmates: Members of a Wing.


	2. Chapter 2

After a brief discussion with Lord Pax concerning Jemma, the bronze rider was ready to take the maiden to the Weyr.

"If you impress the queen, and I suspect you will, your belongings will he brought to your weyr," Skye explained and mounted Osgilith, fitting comfortably between two of his neck ridges. Osgilith bowed to the side then, allowing Jemma easy access to which she could climb on behind Skye.

"You must hold on tightly, and hold your breath when we go _between_. The cold is chilling, especially for folk who are not used to it, "The bronze woman warned and waited for her passenger to be comfortably seated and holding onto her before the bronze took to the air.

"Hold your breath," Skye instructed and the moment the girl did there was blackness and a cold that went straight through her bones. It only lasted the amount of time a person needed to cough thrice before the three were gliding in smoothly over Ostagar Weyr.

A few other riders were blinking into the sky above the Weyr, some carrying two or three maidens. Skye had confidence in her own candidate. The girl seemed somewhat shy, but Osgilith had assured her that the potential was there. She would not have brought her otherwise.

The dragon riders' home was a network of interconnected caves and caverns in the side and within a long dormant volcano, Piemur's Volcano, a small island not far off the western coast of the Southern Continent. It rested just north of the Great Bay, and housed the Weyr. The hunting and farm grounds were on the mainland, supplied healthily by the rich volcanic soil.

Dragons rested on rock ridges and flew about feasting in the natural herd grounds or bathing in the hot lakes at the base of the mountain. Some trumpeted when the riders blinked into the air above them, signaling their return.

Osgilith glided in smoothly to a ledge which connected to his and Skye's weyr, "You may stay here if you wish or go into the Bowl with the others?" Skye offered to the girl. Most maidens would be taken straight to the Bowl and instructed and cleaned, but there had been so many that Skye didn't think it would hurt to offer her own weyr in its stead. The girl would need time to focus, and an entire group of other women in the same situation might distract her. It had happened before.

"Here is perfectly suitable. Is this your room? Am I intruding by staying?" Jemma questioned of the rider as she walked down the rock passageway, smoothed over millennia of use. The entire weyr was smooth volcanic rock, covered in some places by hanging furs and tapestries.

"I offered, remember? You're not intruding at all," the rider replied and moved into the bedroom, shouting down a shaft for food to be brought up.

"Now the Impression may occur at any time and you must he presentable. The dragonet will know what she is looking for. You must bathe and be put into a white gown," Skye pulled one such gown from a trunk at the foot of the fur covered bed.

"The bathing chamber is just down there," she pointed to a room at the left, hidden by hanging beads. "You should find everything you need in there."

The Hold girl nodded and exited through the beads to bathe. A good while later Skye called down the hallway for the girl, "Lady Jemma, the food has arrived. Shall I bring it to you? Shall I pour you some klah or wine?" she asked.

From the hot pool, Jemma blushed, and quickly finished scrubbing herself clean with a pumice rock. "No, no, I am finished. I shall come out in a moment!" She scurried out quickly, finding a towel to dry herself off with. In haste, she almost slid in the puddle she had created and fell back into the bath. Luckily she managed to regain her footing. She didn't know why the thought of the girl seeing her in the bath disturbed her so much. In the Hold, several servants had helped her bathe before, so she was quite used to it.

Moments later the girl immerged wrapped in a towel, "Please if I am to remain here call me Jemma," she insisted, brushing some of her wet hair behind her ear. She was still trying to hide the flush on her cheeks, but the rider didn't seem to notice. Or she assumed it was because of the hot bath. Either way, Jemma was grateful.

Skye nodded quickly in agreement, sensing her own face start to redden, and turned her face away from the woman out of respect and embarrassment, "Klah or wine, Jemma?" she asked again as the girl striped from the towel and into the white gown.

"Oh, klah please. I still feel chilled from that darkness," Jemma said and smiled coming over to gaze at the fruit and bread a servant had brought up.

Skye poured the green coffee-like substance into a mug for the girl and handed it to her, along with a plate full of food.

Osgilith rested happily on his ledge, snoozing in the sun_. Your thoughts are so loud dear one. I cannot rest when all I hear is how attractive this possible mate is,_ he complained lightly.

_It is not as if I can help it_, Skye responses tritely, to which Osgilith let out a loud snort of a laugh.

"What was that?!" Jemma chuckled and sat down at the small table, looking over to the large dragon sitting out on the open ledge.

"Osgilith is grumpy when he does not have his afternoon rest," Skye answered, dismissing the beast altogether. There was another grumble from the beast, but she ignored it, turning her attention back to Jemma.

"Anyway, eat up. You'll need to be full and rested and have your wits about you for the Impression. Dragonets can be clumsy, and queens are larger than the others that are hatching and can be more dangerous," Skye warned the girl and sat down to eat as well.

"Dangerous?!" Jemma questioned after swallowing some slices of fruit and cheese on the warm bread, "As small as they are they really can't do so much damage can they?"

"Oh they can, and some do, but mostly because the candidates tend to be scared of the dragons and inexperienced. You will not be this way. I will explain to you so that you will be well prepared," The brunette said, taking up her own bread and cheese, "Sip that klah. It will warm you faster than the food."

The Ruathan girl did as she was told and drank all of the strong smelling liquid and kindly asked for more, and was given it.

"You need to be calm once the queen hatches. She will no doubt be clumsy and will stumble about. You must be quick footed and dodge if she falls towards you, but you must meet her eyes and present yourself to her with confidence, or she will overlook you," Skye instructed and finished off her food and rose from her seat, going to the bedroom and taking off her riding gear. The Impression was a formal even for the people of the Weyr and all would need to look their best for the presentation.

The Hatching could happen soon and she needed to be well dressed, as the other riders would be. She removed the heavy riders gear and replaced it with leather pants and thick hide boots, and a white fleece long sleeve shirt.

_The maiden watches... _Osgilith pointed out to his rider with interest, not even moving his large wedge shaped head from his resting position in the sunlight.

Skye froze mid change and turned back shyly to see if he spoke the truth, or was just antagonizing her. Sure enough she caught sight of the girl swiftly turning around to finish her food, and Skye's face reddened as she quickly finished changing.

Just in time, for suddenly the entire Weyr shook with a loud vibrating hum which echoed from the throats of all the dragons.

Skye finished tying her shirt up in the front in time to see Osgilith rise swiftly and turn his head towards the two, gazing at them with his many faceted eyes, _It is time_.

"Go, go!" Skye ushered the dragon from the ledge and he took off, flying down into the Bowl and resting on a ledge deeper in the Weyr over the hatching ground to get a better view of the upcoming events.

The bronze rider grabbed Jemma's hand and jerked her swiftly from the table, "We must get you to the Hot Sands! There is not time to waste now!" She ushered the girl swiftly down many hallways and stairs and finally the two came into the crowded Hatching Ground, the center of all the Weyr.

There, the floor was covered entirely of sand, kept warm by the heat of the volcano. The afternoon sun illuminated some of the Bowl, but fire lanterns and torches were dispatched throughout the inner cavern to keep it lit. All the way up there were stairs and walkways along the edges of the Bowl, leading to other open caverns and some smaller ones, covered by furs, leading to personal weyrs. The entire room vibrated with the hum of dragons perched on these ledges to watch and pay homage to the future.

"Remember what I told you!" Skye instructed and gave Jemma's hand a squeeze as a green rider took the girl onto his dragon and deposited her with the rest of the girls separated from the other eggs, near the golden queen egg down bellow

_-Be calm...be calm...be calm..._Jemma urged herself, though she fumbled with her hands amidst the other girls.

The other girls were huddled together almost frightened to death of what was to come, but Jemma forced herself to hold her head high. She could not afford to be frightened. Skye had said the hatchling would overlook her if she were afraid.

The group of women watched the young men and boys approach the other eggs as they hatched and after a span of fifteen minutes or so each of the forty-one dragonets had connected and impressed a partner and were now being escorted out of the Hatching Grounds to a place where they could bathe and feed their new weyrmates.

The low hum the dragons emitted once again began to fill the Bowl and the girls turned their attention to the rocking queen egg, as did the rest of the onlookers.

Skye shoved past other riders and weyrfolk to get a better view of the egg, standing just barely on the edge of a ledge, and all the girls leapt back as it burst open, save one.

A stumbling queen fell over her own wings, racing towards the group of girls, mouth open to be fed and claws out to grab what she could, emitting a desperate cry for food. They ran, some being tackled by the silly beast and severely injured, some with mere scratches and some escaping just in time from the stumbling hatchling.

The dragonet continued to stumble and Jemma quickly rushed to make it ahead of the beast which was a good two times her own size already. The small queen moved to run through her like it had the rest when Jemma froze and outstretched her hands and her palms collided with the wedge shaped golden face and the world seemed to freeze with her.

_She did it…_ Skye plunged through the crowd and watched as Jemma made contact with the golden dragonet. The same hum from before began to reverberate through the Weyr and the brunette smiled.

_I am here, Jemma_, the hatchling gazed up at the auburn haired woman with wide eyes, glowing alight with many different colors all at once.

"You are Aesfeloth," Jemma said, bewildered and confused but in awe of what she had just accomplished all the same. How had she known this queens name? She had not been told what it was, and slowly she retracted her hands from the face of the beast.

_Why would you not know me, dear one? We are the same_, Aesfeloth responded and crooned, moving her head to reach back for Jemma's touch. Jemma scratched the dragonets eye ridges and the lids slid down one by one over the sparkling eyes in pleasure. _We are connected._

She was no longer Jemma of Ruatha of the High Reaches. She was Jemma, WeyrWoman of Ostagar and rider of golden queen Aesfeloth.


	3. Chapter 3

"Dear one, you have eaten three already! If you continue at this rate you will be bigger than a mature bronze and you are only three weeks hatched!" Jemma scolded the golden beast lovingly as the young queen flew around the hatching grounds snatching up wherrie one right after the other.

_I am supposed to be larger and grander than any other colors. I am a queen! I itch!_ The young beast grumbled and landed next to her weyrmates to be scratched and soothed.

"If you ate less love, then you wouldn't grow so, and your skin would not stretch and

itch," Jemma reminded her and scratched the queens shoulder scales and rubbed cool salve over the afflicting areas. The beast cooed happily and allowed her eyes to close, content.

Jemma had been forced to learn much about Weyr life in the three week span and was adapting accordingly. She disliked the current Weyrleader, however, for he was a stern and hard disciplined man, not to mention much too old for her taste.

T'eagan had been a fine Weyrleader before the Pass had started, but now that Threads were falling he was ineffective and Ostagar sustained the most casualties of all the Weyrs. A change was needed, Jemma thought, if Ostagar was to improve in standing.

_Nemerith is an ugly beast, _Aesfeloth commented and Jemma chuckled in response.

"We cannot change anything now, dear heart. You are much too young still…" She reminded her partner. Jemma's thoughts drifted to worthy candidates for Weyrleader. It was not her choice, but she could have a preference all the Same. Skye was an effective fighter and commander. Of all Wings, hers was the less Thread-barred.

_Osgilith is a handsome one. You fancy Pern's Bronze Woman, love?_ Aesfeloth questioned as she sunned herself in the grass.

"Hush you sweet thing. It will not matter…" Jemma sighed and washed the dry skin away from her beast who sighed happily.

_A green approaches_, the queen said and rose up her head and glanced at the smaller beast (though it was full grown).

Jemma turned to face the now dismounted rider as he rushed towards them.

"Weyrwoman! Threads fall over Nerat, heading west towards Keroon. T'eagan requests that you come inside to the Weyr." he said and saluted her and the queen.

"That is half a world away from here. Why am I to be cooped up inside when there is no danger?!" Jemma demanded, but sighed, knowing she must go.

The two returned to the Weyrwoman's chambers, Aesfeloth falling asleep on the ledge, resting deeply in the sun.

Footsteps down the hall gave his presence away before he entered the woman's weyr.

"Gather the women of the lower chambers, Weyrwoman. Benden and Igen Weyr have requested aid," T'eagan ordered of her, "Numbweed and fresh bandages will be needed. This Thread falls in an abnormal pattern, and early," He commanded of her.

Jemma was steadily getting used to her duties and knowing that she was in charge of healers was essential on days like this.

"Who are you sending?" Jemma questioned as she began to write out orders onto sheets of paper to be issued out among the Bowl.

"B'leth's wing for certain and S'nel's. And Skye's skills will be needed as well. That is eighty dragons to aid Igen. They have requested Southern's help as well. Nemereth says that they send 100 to aid." T'eagan informed her and left swiftly to prepare for battle.

So T'eagan was going to be sending Skye to fight Threads. As Weyrwoman she had come to understand that it was dragon folk's duty to protect Pern from the falling menace, but still she worried.

They had many riders injured on a regular basis after Threadfall and the wounds to both man and dragon were terrible. One rider already this Pass had lost an eye and one dragon was out with a wing ripped all to shreds from the organic matter eating silver strings. Jemma did not want anything like that to happen to Skye. Still, she didn't have time to ponder over the girls fate when things needed to be done in preparation for the wounded and injured which were soon to be streaming in shortly, once the aid was sent to Keroon and Nerat.

The three Wings sent by Ostagar hovered above the Weyr till they were all in correct formation, and then blinked from the sunny sky into the chill of _between_ and reappeared hovering, spanned out bellow a vast number of other riders in the red Keroon sky.

The Wings above them ducked down and flew up and dashed across the sky laced with the silver threads. Dragons blinked in and out of between as they or their riders got a taste of the threats sting. Moments later the forces from Southern Weyr appeared with them, and the new aid rushed up to relieve those who had already been fighting for hours.

Skye fed Osgilith all the firestone he could chew when his head angled back towards her reach, and she held tightly as he swooped here and there, torching clumps of Thread as it fell in its currently unpredictable patterns.

The records from the last Pass had been left in Weyrs throughout Pern, detailing that Threadfall was very predictable, but every so often could change up, just as the Red Star's orbit itself did.

Hours passed and injured came into the Weyr asking for help, numbweed, and klah.

As Weyrwoman, Jemma had to help organize and make sure that all those hurt got attention and all Threadscared skin got numbweed applied to it immediately.

Finally as Jemma was pulling out another large pot filled with the green healing slime, she heard Aesfeloth bugle the sounding return of what had been left of the Wings sent to Keroon.

_Osgilith and Skye return unharmed, _the golden queen soothed her rider's fears, as the girl had nearly dropped the pot in haste to run to the Bronze Woman's weyr to check. What a silly thought that was. She probably didn't even like her, Jemma thought and sighed. Surely Skye had her eye on someone else by now? Three weeks in the Weyr and the two hadn't spoken since Impression.

T'eagan sent all the orders to bronze riders...

_Aesfeloth wishes to know if we are harmed,_ Osgilith said as he glided down to the weyr ledge, lowering his neck so that the woman rider could slide off onto the safety of the ground.

"We are well, you know that. I don't know why you're asking," Skye commented as she left the initial ledge and walked down the rock hallway into the bedroom.

She was exhausted after having fought the falling menace for six hours straight, but her Wing had not been injured and the help had been much needed. All the better for Nerat and Keroon were burrow and spore free. Their Lord Holders could rest easy for a few days at least.

_Aesfeloth says that the Weyrwoman is relieved, _the dragon responded again, laying down to rest as well.

She was probably just asking to make sure that all those returning were unharmed, Skye thought to herself, to which Osgilith grunted in dispute, but did nothing more. The brunette didn't have her hopes up too high. With so many other fine bronzes to choose from in Ostagar and Southern, and even in the rest of Pern, why would the Bronze Woman be so attractive. She wasn't, and in her mind, that settled it...though Skye knew that she would never object to taking the new Weyrwoman on as a weyrmate.

She sighed and stripped from her riding gear and put on regular cloth pants and a fleece shirt. She tied up her boots and stuffed her gear at the entrance to the bedroom and made her way down into the Bowl. The women and older riders who had not flown into battle would probably need help making sure every injured rider got aid.

She made it to the infirmary before she spotted the slim figure and tight auburn hair pulled back out of her face. The brunette turned around to head to the kitchen to help cook up some food for the workers instead.

_The Bronze Woman is here, _Aesfeloth cooed to her rider from her loft inside the Bowl. The Weyrwoman froze for a moment before she turned around to search the crowded infirmary for the slim rider which she dreamed of far too often.

She spotted Skye just as the woman had turned to leave upon spying her. "Skye!"

The brunette sighed and stopped before she could make it to the hallway. She felt the woman grab her arm and turn her around gently. She stood tall then, and raised her chin, putting on the perfect poker face for the Weyrwoman while her insides were scrambled at the sight of her.

"We have need of your hands in the infirmary. These men are clumsy...will you help?" Jemma requested, surprised with herself for having thought of such a fast excuse to grab hold of the woman.

Jemma smiled, relieved, when the brunette nodded.

"Of course Weyrwoman, whatever you ask of me. I am yours to command," Skye responded and moved towards the pot of cleaning bandages with the brunette.

The healing went well and the two found little reasons to call each other over, or talk to one another throughout the day, when finally Skye's shirt was dirty with numbweed and blood from helping and her body exhausted.

It was then that Jemma returned to her, and lay a hand on her shoulder, "We have enough help in here now to relieve you. Thank you so much for your help," She smiled.

Skye bowed her thanks and as she rose her stomach gave a loud grumble and her face flushed as she stood still.

"Oh my! I'm so sorry! You haven't eaten since Threadfall have you?! How careless I am! You probably came down for food earlier!" Jemma exclaimed, furious with herself for her lack of judgment and mistreatment of her secretly favorite rider.

"Not at all, it was a pleasure. I can just grab some klah and bread..." Skye reassured her, but the Weyrwoman would have none of it.

"Come, I'll take you to my weyr and you'll have a proper meal fit for a fighting rider,'' Jemma said, taking the girls hand firmly and leading her up the stairs. Many eyes gazed upon the two, despite being busy tending to the injured. Word got around fast in a Weyr, and gossip was often rampant.


End file.
